Community honors slain Elkhart girl

August 20, 2012|By KRYSTAL OBLINGER

ELKHART -- A crowd of family, friends, neighbors and those from the overall community huddled together Monday night outside the home of Kristyana Jackson, a 7-year-old girl killed Friday night at her Elkhart home during an attempted home invasion.

"She was a very loving child," said Kristyana's grandmother, Barbara Lamb. "I can't think of anything bad I could say about her. She was just an altogether great child."

Many of those who attended the vigil outside the Jackson family home said they could not believe what had happened.

Danielle Moore was a client of Kristyana's mother, Kimi, and a close friend of her relatives.

She said the killing had been a complete shock for her.

"I have a 7-year-old and I can't imagine something like this happening," Moore said. "It's so good to know that the community is behind them and they have so much support from everyone."

Moore grew up with Kristyana's cousins and heard the news when she was at the girl's uncle's wedding.

"We were all shocked," Moore said.

Kristyana was shot in the head during the attack that took place after she and her mother returned home after a football game Friday night.

She died Sunday at Memorial Hospital.

"I think I went numb because I don't remember driving to Elkhart General," Lamb said, holding a board of pictures of Kristyana close to her. "When I heard she was being moved to Memorial Hospital, I can only remember driving really fast over there."

The three assailants in the attack have yet to be found, leaving many residents scared for themselves and their own children.

"I was at home when I first heard what happened," said a classmate of Kristyana's mother, Christy Bailey. "I cried. My daughter is the same age and it was a home invasion; it makes you feel very vulnerable to hear about something like that."

Bailey's children played with Kristyana when they lived on Plum Street.

"She was a bright and wonderful little girl," Bailey said. "I am very happy with the turnout here tonight. It's good to see that the community cares, but I'm still just overwhelmed with sadness."